How Folding@Home is Advancing Protein Folding Research

Incurable Diseases Could Potentially Disappear Forever

Proteins are crucial molecules in all living organisms, including humans, and are vital in various biological processes. They are composed of smaller molecules called amino acids, which resemble long chains and fold into a three-dimensional structure.

The structure and function of a protein are determined by the type and arrangement of its amino acids. The study of protein folding aims to understand how these chains fold in three dimensions, as it’s not a trivial task.

Proteins can change their structure based on the environment they are in. A good example of this is egg whites. They are known to be an excellent source of protein. However, when the egg yolk is at room temperature, it appears transparent and liquid. Whereas, if you heat it up to make an omelet, it turns solid and white because the protein structure has folded differently due to the applied temperature.

Protein Folding

Protein folding refers to the process of a protein assuming its three-dimensional structure. By analyzing the structures of proteins, scientists can better understand how they interact with other molecular structures, such as medicine or vaccines.